Window Film 101

Upselling In A Competitive Market
by Jody Knight - Scorpion Window Film
In today’s market there are choices that a customer has to make in almost everything that they do. Remember the last time you were out to eat? Not only did you have a menu of items to choose from but also, the waitress informed you about other available choices. More often than not, this is something that is part of their training since the items they suggest often bring more profit to the business. For example when they offer to “super size” your fries there is an increase in profit margins.
But unlike restaurants, the window film business requires you to know your customer and understand their needs so you can offer them the best choice for their needs and also your bottom line. By understanding that every customer matters, from the one that you are doing work for now, to the new one that just walked into your shop is the first step to making a sale and a long-lasting customer relationship. How each customer is treated will determine your success. Here is an easy way to make every customer the next high profit customer for life.
First let’s face it, there are many great films on the market today that you can choose from to sell to your customers. A majority of the time they may not know the difference between your product and your competitor’s product. They are there to solve a problem. How you solve it for them is up to you as long as it makes the customer happy.
When a customer comes into your shop they should have choices. But they need to be educated on what is available to them. This is where you can set yourself apart from everyone else. Where 80% of shops drop the ball is in two areas. One is in educating the customer and demonstrating what each of the products can do. The second is being afraid to quote a higher price. Recognize that there is great value in your knowledge that you have gained from this industry and the customer needs to know that they are not just buying window film for their car or home – but a solution to their problem. They also need to know that they are buying from a
true professional who understands the performance of each film and in what situations they work best.
When you are talking to your sales prospect, find out what they expect from the film. In many situations, most people are unaware of all that window film can do for them. What are they looking for to accomplish with the film? Is it glare reduction, controlling fading, heat gain, or the aesthetic of the window film? Once you have them engaged and have them telling you why they are interested in window film, you have them on the right path.
If you are dealing with an automotive customer, make sure you use point of sale items that your film manufacturer provides. These supplies allow the customer to see more value in the product. Make sure you put your offer to them in writing. By seeing what you are telling them in writing, it makes the information more credible to them. Here is an example:
Customer Joe comes into your shop and says he wants a price on getting the windows tinted in his new sedan that he just purchased. He says that he wants the windows dark (This could be an indicator that he is looking to block heat or wants more privacy). You should start by informing Joe what the legally allowable tint is in your state regarding how dark film can be. Then ask why he would like it “dark”. When they tell you it’s because of the heat, you can go into detailing the difference between films and that even lighter films can reject a high amount of heat. To demonstrate the benefit of heat rejection you can use a heat lamp to show that the product rejects so much heat. This is another way that you are adding value to the upsell. When they see and feel the difference that a ceramic film is going to give them for example versus your less costly film, it’s typically a no brainer for them select the higher quality film regardless of the price. You can also use this same technique when upselling from a standard film to a lifetime film or a high performance product when presenting film to a residential customer.

Let’s just say that the residential customer is concerned about heat gain and fading. This is where you are going to set yourself apart from the rest. Go into detail on the value that window film is going to bring. Give them literature that is provided from the manufacture about the product. Let them know how film is going to block 99% of UV rays that assist in fade reduction. Discuss with them the solar spectrum and how it impacts the living space. Then show how a ceramic film is going to reject more heat from that part of the solar spectrum. Also let them know about all the other features that film is going to bring them as well – such as added safety from accidental glass breakage, to reduced cooling costs, more even heating and so on. This additional information will help to set you apart and give them more confidence in your knowledge and capabilities. Give them more information than is asked for and always deliver more than they expect.

Now notice that price has not been mentioned yet. Why? Well believe it or not, it was not important until now. Up to this point you have been building value; value in you, your company and the product that you are presenting to them. Now you tell them about the standard film briefly and how it may only do a portion of what they are looking for and quote them that price. Then go to the “best” film that is going to solve all the needs that they discussed with you and the additional benefits.
I have found that displaying price options is always a great idea. This way it takes out a lot of the guesswork for customers and helps them to qualify themselves based on what they can afford. To address difficult installations you should always add a line that says “prices are subject to the type of car”. That will allow you to charge more for the difficulty of the install.
At this time you may also want to give them any promotions that you are offering to help encourage them into choosing the best film for their needs. Customers are
willing to pay more for something that they feel has more value. The benefits should always outweigh the cost. If you have done this correctly, you should have no problem in making the sale and the customer happy and they should have no problem in paying the extra money for a better product.

Never be afraid of asking for the sale and additional money for a better product. You should never judge what you think that they are willing to spend. If you demonstrate the value of your product, your customer will understand what they are getting. They will open up their wallets to invest in what they have worked hard for. I hope that this helps you gain more profit and keeps your customers coming back.